Environment

Hi there and thanks for tuning into PMS! (Pass Me the Star [Screwdriver]!) Have you ever taken the road less travelled on your trip? Maybe to visit friends, avoid the congested highway, find that perfect picnic place, or on the way to a cottage? While summertime cruising is great, so long as you go about it safely and with the right vehicle depending on your style of off-roading, what might happen is that your ride suffers a few more bumps and bruises than you anticipated.

So what do you do? Only stick the to the highway? For some, this is the way to go. And that’s a-ok. At the end of the day, you need to drive how and where is safest and most comfortable for you. If you enjoy, need to, or just plain take a rougher road on the daily, that’s ok too. If you do frequent the roads less traveled make sure you are taking care of your vehicle. This might mean seasonal visits to your autobody shop to prevent larger problems like rust and corroding from dirt and grime that piles up during your adventures on dusty roads. Seasonal maintenance can go a long way for your vehicle.

Colorworks Express Autobody Centers can fix up small scratches and knicks from your off-roading adventures in a day or two. Their pricing is reasonable, they have strict environmental policies, and they are local. Whether you are taking your vehicle in now during the summer for a spruce up or saving it for after Labour Day, check out Colorworks (www.colorworks.ca) and get a free estimate. Light repairs are important for your vehicle’s upkeep!

Thanks for tuning in this week and catch you next time! Enjoy the summertime cruising and stay safe on those roads!

Hi there and thanks for tuning into PMS! (Pass Me the Star [Screwdriver]). With the warm weather settling in; lawns needing to be cut more often; and the call of patios, BBQs, and gardening; another springtime chore might be on your mind. Washing your car in your driveway or lane is what I’m talking about.

Can’t be bothered taking it to a car wash, manual or automatic? I get it. While it can be cheaper to wash your vehicle yourself, it isn’t always the best for the environment.

Colorworks Express Autobody Centers operate on a green foundation – meaning they respect the environment and work hard not to negatively impact it. (Check out some of our previous blogs.) They encourage all drivers who might need to wash up their ride to be water conscious. Here are some tips and tricks for being water conservation savvy while washing a vehicle, windows, and more throughout the season:

Wash your vehicle in the early morning or evening. The sun is less intense and you will use less water as soap suds won’t dry as quickly.

This is usually at low-peak times for water use, too.

Do a quick initial spritz with the hose to wet the area down. Nothing fancy and this should only last seconds.

Use a bucket of warm water, soap (use an environmentally friendly one as it’s going directly down the sewer), and a sponge to scrub down the area. There’s no need to use the hose here – spread those bubbles!

Do another quick spritz with the hose (starting from the top and working your way down) to remove most of the suds. This should take a minute or two at most.

If needed, use another bucket of warm water (this time hold the soap) and a soft cloth or sponge to lift any stubborn suds.

Last spritz – this time only a few seconds to make sure everything is off.

You’re all set! Have fun and be water conscience this season! Thanks for tuning in and I’ll catch you next time on PMS!

Hi there and thanks for tuning in again this week to Pass Me the Star [Screwdriver]! This week I’ve been thinking about how we as consumers ultimately make our choice in selecting an autobody shop. Is it all about the quality of the work? The impact on your schedule and time? Do we know someone at a shop? Maybe a combination of all of the above.

In my opinion (and after asking a few colleagues and friends) this is Part 1 of my “formula” for choosing an autobody shop.

Quality. Does the shop have (considerable) experience? Is the work highlighted and promoted? Are consumers able to see examples of the work? Are there testimonials from past clients? Does the shop use top of the line equipment and products for repairs? Are staff trained? Is the environment a concern of the shop and do staff adopt green practices?

Colorworks has been operating since 1991. In that time they have repaired over 1 Million vehicles across the country at their many locations in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. They are also mobile in some areas. Clients have been extremely supportive of the Colorworks brand – sending in testimonials that are showcased on the website and throughout social media. Colorworks guarantees their quality of work with their highly trained, Certified Technicians, using the best equipment and products for your autobody repair, and ensuring their practices are environmentally friendly.

CHECK!

Colorworks definitely exceeds this part of the formula. If you are looking for quality I hope you consider Colorworks for your next repair.

Thanks for tuning in again this week to PMS (Pass Me the Star [Screwdriver])! This week I’m writing again about the importance of including green practices at the forefront of a business. A few weeks ago I wrote about how autobody shops don’t exactly earn a bright and shiny image when thinking of keeping things green. In recent years this has shifted to autobody shops being more environmentally conscious.

Now, aside from the obvious jazz of protecting our planet and natural resources, why is this important?

I’m a woman in my late twenties. Something that I’ve noticed in the past 8-ish years is that the environment has become political. With the upcoming election in October most political parties have goals to positively impact, sustain, or clean up the environment here on Canadian soil. This tells me that green practices are going to be relevant (maybe enforced) sooner or later as they continue to be a focus.

This is an area that more people in my generation and age group are thinking about. A vendor might have great products but if they are crapping on our planet then folks like me aren’t likely to give our business to them. It’s important to not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk when it comes to anything from recycling to proper cleaning and disposal of paint materials. Everything helps to make this planet one that will last for future generations. This is what my age group wants to see. Let’s face it – we’re going to be here – and our children. We need to know that when we take our business to places like autobody shops it’s not going to negatively impact our environment.

Colorworks has green practices and they follow them. Inform yourself when you are making choices about where to take your business. There are lots of options out there – some have the bigger picture in mind and are looking out for the future of everyone.

Hello again and thanks for tuning into PMS, or Pass me the Star (Screwdriver) for another blog post from yours truly. This week I’m writing about a topic that’s close to my heart – the environment. Now don’t worry – this isn’t a post about heading out and hugging a tree or anything – so keep reading. Ensuring that the environment is maintained is a very real global topic. It’s important not only for ourselves as consumers to make informed choices but also for future generations.

Earlier, when I thought of an autobody shop the image that came to mind wasn’t exactly Mr. Clean’s garage. This vision changed with Colorworks. I’ve been to the Toronto, London and Port Elgin shops and they are all consistently clean. Walking into the main reception I noticed recycling bins and everything neatly sorted. Great. The places where clients are most likely to be are spick and span. But what about the back? What about where the work happens? Again – clean. Tools were tidy, technicians were properly dressed in safety gear, waste had a designated area well away from a drain. I needed to know more.

Colorworks uses only aqua-based paint. Paint tools are reused and put through a professional paint gun cleaner to remove paint waste. The waste is disposed of in airtight barrels using environment friendly and responsible Safety Clean services. This prevents huge amounts of waste. Not too shabby.

I was able to get in touch with the CEO for a quote on the subject. I asked him why it is important that Colorworks operate with environmentally sound principles and practices. He replied “[it’s] important because of kids, of grandkids – the next generation. This industry comes from a dirty background and now most shops are focused on cleaning it up. Colorworks is focused on clean environment and good recycling practices to ensure the work being done in the present doesn’t impact the future.” This is something I can get on board with.

It’s clear green isn’t just a logo colour for Colorworks – it’s in their mandate. This company is convenient, efficient and does outstanding quality work – and they think about the future environment. Granted, there is always more we all could be doing to be more environmentally conscious. From taking public transit to purchasing food with as little packaging as possible. Good practices need to begin somewhere and in the autobody world, Colorworks is ensuring they set a strong standard across the board. This definitely impacts my choice when choosing where to take my business.

Thanks for tuning in this week to PMS. Stay tuned for another post in the coming weeks! Is there a topic you want to learn more about? Have a comment for me? Let me know!

I hope those who have tuned in have enjoyed the first blog post of PMS, or Pass me the Star (Screwdriver). Thanks for coming along for the ride this week! As promised, I’ll be chatting about my experience with the Fix and Fly program with Colorworks.

Most of us have been there. You notice a knick, dent or scratch on your car. Maybe you’ve just come out of the grocery store and a runaway cart (or worse, someone’s car door) has made friends with your car, maybe you’re driving down the highway and a stone chip comes hurtling straight for you, maybe you’ve thought you could make that tight turn only to find out that it was in fact too tight. Whatever the reason, crap happens to our cars. Usually, if the damage is minor, we can live with it or think, I’ll get to that later. Unfortunately, what I’ve come to learn is that if you have some damage on your vehicle that’s broken through the paint there is something most vile that is inevitable. This would be rust. This filth can make what was a small surface scratch or knick into a BIG problem. More on the curses I’ve uttered about rust later.

For me, rust was a part of my problem. About a month ago I noticed what looked like bubbling on the roof of my car where the roof meets the windshield. It must have been there for some time because it was definitely starting to rust. I’m not a very tall person so seeing the roof of my little hatchback doesn’t happen all that often, and this must be why I hadn’t noticed before. What was I supposed to do? I knew about Colorworks but I also knew that this type of job would take a few days to complete. I need my car to get to and from work, among all my many other needs. There also isn’t a Colorworks shop in my city.

Then the answer came. Bright and shiny like a star from above. The Colorworks Fix and Fly program out of Toronto would work with my schedule for an upcoming vacation that just happened to be on the books. HALEILUJAH! I dropped the car off the day of my flight and I was shuttled to the airport in a courtesy vehicle. I didn’t have to worry about paying the week long fee with a garage for leaving my car there nor did I have to worry about it at home in my driveway unattended while I was gone. This was clearly meant to be.

When I returned from my trip I picked my car up without any hassle. To my delight the rusting bubbles on the roof of my car had vanished and everything looked like it was brand new. When I opened my door to slide in I noticed that my entire car had been cleaned, inside and out. I won’t be modest and say it was in an “ok state” before leaving. It wasn’t a mobile garbage can or anything but it certainly wasn’t something I’d pick up the Queen with. My dash had been wiped down, the carpets vacuumed, even the smears on the back windows from my dog’s nose had been wiped clean.

The long and the short of it is this. My experience with the Fix and Fly program with Colorworks, Toronto went way beyond expectations. Would I use it again? Most definitely. Would I recommend it to everyone I know? Already have. Now I’m recommending it to all you fine folks who tune into PMS. Something crappy happen to your car? Already heading away on a flight for a few days? Bring it to Colorworks, Toronto and take advantage of the door-to-door service with the Fix and Fly program. You won’t be disappointed.

Thank you all for tuning in this week to PMS! I’ll catch you next week with another look behind the scenes of a body shop.

Jerry Babineau is the Colorworks paintless dent technician for Barrie and Muskoka. He drives quite a few kilometres during the course of his week.

He’s very aware of reducing his carbon footprint, whilst providing the power he needs to complete his repairs.

Ordinarily, he would use a gas powered generator to provide his electricity. That is both noisy, and not a very “green” solution, so Jerry has come up with the idea of installing a solar panel onto the trailer he tows behind his vehicle.

He now has access to quiet, clean energy, wherever he is working.

This is a great example of Colorworks operators commitment to maintaining the environment and still offering great service!